Making your own percussion caps?

[longcruise]

Reason I asked was I thought it seemed like an extra unnecessary step. Of course the end result is the final arbiter and it seems to work well for those doing it. I'm a long ways from running out of caps but if the famine goes on much longer it will happen. I will probably get my order in early!

 

[n.h.schmidt]

Archer. At least half of the charge blows down the outside of the nipple and the skirt blows out and usually fragments. With a two layer cap,it holds together just enough longer to get more of the charge into the nipple. Nobody says you have to do this. Many of us who have been doing this a long time have settled on two layers or copper and brass sheet.
n.h.schmidt

 

[Archer 756]

n.h.schmidt, After 60 plus years of shooting it sounds that your cap is not fitting tight If cap is on tight how is it blowing by ?
Have seem many blow by, caps where not tight on nipple

 

[n.h.schmidt]

You haven't been shooting these cap maker caps for 60years. These cups have folded sides that blow out when the charge goes off.The rest of you here ,care to add to this?

 

[longcruise]

Be interesting to see a slo mo video comparison.

Another thing that would be interesting is a comparison between the homemade and commercial caps in a pendulum test.

 

[Wolfman0125]

I make my caps out of .005 brass. They are pretty durable. Possibly could even be reused.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I make my caps out of .005 brass. They are pretty durable. Possibly could even be reused.View attachment 75843

That there is some pretty sweet sweetness.

 

[russellshaffer]

I found a pdf with plans and instructions to make a cap maker. It does require a lathe. It is 12 pages and pretty interesting. I may try it just to prove that I can.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I read recently that a huge supply of caps has just been shipped to the U.S. by RWS. Just have to wait to see if they reach the stores.

 

[SomeDude]

I read recently that a huge supply of caps has just been shipped to the U.S. by RWS. Just have to wait to see if they reach the stores.

My guess is scalpers will immediately purchase and then price gouge them.

I'm on the fence about ordering that sharpshooter cap maker. The fact that I still have to buy the prime-all powder seems like it doesn't really make it any less susceptible to shortages and supply-runs than just buying caps themselves.

 

[n.h.schmidt]

Some Dude You are correct about the kit being subject to a shortage like the factory caps. It is easy to make the same formula from other sources. Even the toy pistol role caps can be used to make your own,if done right. The one thing that has never worked for me was match heads. They go off and seem powerful but just didn't make it in setting of a charge in my rifles. Worth doing? For me yes.I like the challenge .

 

[Winchester97]

I have had my .22 capmaker for about 3 months now. I have made about 1200 caps, and fired about 800. So far I can say that I like these caps way better than CCI caps. As long as the cap has sufficient priming compound in it, you can expext 100% reliability. I have no complaints, other than the wierd orange fouling they cause. I am still on my first package of prime-all, and expect to get about 2000 caps before it runs out. It's a bit time consuming, but very satisfying to make your own caps. No complaints here.

 

[n.h.schmidt]

Man that's a lot of pounding to make that many in so short a time. Are you using pop cans?Single layer? The red brick dust look is what this does.That cleans off easy though. This stuff is corrosive so beware. If you fill up the cups like in the directions you will go through your powders fast. When I was using dry powders I made a measure that only filled them halfway. .Still plenty powerful though

 

[hrt4me]

I have had my .22 capmaker for about 3 months now. I have made about 1200 caps, and fired about 800. So far I can say that I like these caps way better than CCI caps. As long as the cap has sufficient priming compound in it, you can expext 100% reliability. I have no complaints, other than the wierd orange fouling they cause. I am still on my first package of prime-all, and expect to get about 2000 caps before it runs out. It's a bit time consuming, but very satisfying to make your own caps. No complaints here.

that is a great review and attestation, thank you

what amount do you consider 'sufficient priming compound' for each individual cap?

 

[Winchester97]

that is a great review and attestation, thank you

what amount do you consider 'sufficient priming compound' for each individual cap?

I have been getting 25 caps per batch of compound, I would say they get filled up about 2/3 with dry compound, then after wetting with acetone/duco cement it is probably close to 1/4 full after drying.

 

[Winchester97]

Man that's a lot of pounding to make that many in so short a time. Are you using pop cans?Single layer? The red brick dust look is what this does.That cleans off easy though. This stuff is corrosive so beware. If you fill up the cups like in the directions you will go through your powders fast. When I was using dry powders I made a measure that only filled them halfway. .Still plenty powerful though

I just popped them out while watching tv, then primed them later, it's definantly not a good use of your time, but they work great. I used double layer of pop cans folded over, your right about the fouling. Looks terrible, but cleans up good.

 

[n.h.schmidt]

I would like to ask about how everyone is cutting up pop cans. My way works but could stand to be improved. I first cut the bottom off with a kinfe.About 3/16' above where the bottom is full size. I then cut up the side with a scissors all the way to the top. Then cut around the top part. I would dearly like a better way. I'm getting older now and my hands are clumsy .

 

[Rfp10000]

I made a batch of 14 prime all as well as several roll cap percussion caps with the sharpshooter tool. I used both aluminum cans and brass sheet. I had decent success.

I made a first batch of 17 prime all caps a while back but the first several I tried did not work. I’m not sure what I did but I filled the caps more on the second try. Incidentally I saved a number of my first batch and some fired today and I also tried adding a couple roll caps to the others and they all worked. I think it’s a pretty tedious process but it does work. I think I prefer adding a couple of punched out roll caps to the prime all mix and I also liked the caps made with 5 or 6 punched out roll caps. They seemed to work very well.

 

[Marc Adamchek]

This is kind of an aside, but out of boredom I fell into finally giving in and watching the Netflix series "The Walking Dead". Anyway, there's a part where "the smart guy" tells everybody to collect the spent brass because he can come up with the formula for gunpowder and with scrap lead make new bullets for everyone and of course I'm immediately yelling at the TV "yeah? How ya gonna make the primers, huh?" Of course, Hollywood never touched on this little detail.............

 

[Rfp10000]

Anyone have experience with a good number of punched out roll caps to use for home made caps?
I’ve seen numbers like 2 to 6 with the lower number using some powder also which I don’t want to do.
I just want to use the minimal number of punched out roll caps to ignite a charge.